Medicine: Peggy

A slim book by an angry mother won a victory last week over French medical bureaucracy. In 1952 Micheline Vernhes, wife of a Casablanca industrialist, took her five-year-old daughter Peggy to Paris' Hopital Trousseau. Doctors recommended this public hospital, rather than a more comfortable private clinic, because of better lab facilities in treating Peggy's nearly hopeless case of rheumatic fever.

From the start, Hopital Trousseau "looked sinister"; the head nurse seemed like a heartless virago. Peggy was not allowed her "pretty, rose nightdress," instead got "a veritable sack." Under regulations barring money and jewels, she could not even keep her religious medal....

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!